5/5
Stuart Broad bowled out

Andrew Flintoff won his first bowling battle of this Ashes summer but Australia showed they are ready for a long, hard war by fighting back strongly with the bat at Sophia Gardens today.

Flintoff roared into action this afternoon and claimed the wicket of dynamic young opener Phillip Hughes after peppering the 20-year-old left-hander with a barrage of 90 mph lifting deliveries.

Hughes stood his ground through several exhilarating overs, only to edge a catch behind while trying to force England's former captain through the off side.

Boosted by adding another 99 runs to their first day score of 336 for seven, Andrew Strauss's men were in a position to take control of the First Test with Australia 60 for one in reply to 435 all out.

But the tourists are battlers and they scrapped their way up to 142 without further loss through senior opener Simon Katich and skipper Ricky Ponting.

Katich, given a life by Flintoff just after reaching double figures, completed a 123-ball half-century just before tea while Ponting - as tough to shift as ever - was into the 40s.

The brief but brilliant confrontation between Flintoff and Hughes made for compelling viewing.Australia could have been badly shaken by England's tail-wagging exploits this morning.

But while Graeme Swann's unbeaten 47 and Jimmy Anderson's bonus knock of 26 did the visitors damage, Hughes responded aggressively as Stuart Broad, in particular, offered too much room outside off stump.

It was a different story after lunch, though, with Flintoff busting a gut in his first Test appearance since last winter's series in the Caribbean.

A first ball bouncer to Hughes was followed by some words of 'advice' - and then a succession of vicious lifters sped past the youngster's chest.

Hughes, bounced out by Steve Harmison at Worcester last week, did not take a backward step until Flintoff struck gold with the last ball of his fourth over soon after switching from around the wicket.

The Australian, who had reached 36, tried to force Flintoff off the back foot, the ball came into him a shade and inside edge was well snaffled, low down and to his right, by Matt Prior.

No wonder Flintoff stood mid-pitch with both arms in the air as the crowd roared out their appreciation.

It was a particularly sweet moment for Flintoff as minutes earlier he had just failed to hold a low return catch when Katich, on 10, drove uppishly.

England hoped Hughes's dismissal might be the start of something big. But although spinner Swann and Monty Panesar gained some encouraging turn when they operated in tandem before tea, Australia were not for crumbling.

The first part of the morning session, when 17 overs of crash, bang, wallop cricket yielded 99 runs, could not have gone any better for the home side.

Broad, an international all-rounder in the making, got things moving nicely by driving a wide half volley from Peter Siddle past extra cover, then Anderson carved Mitchell Johnson for three runs over point.

Although Anderson is a bowler first and foremost he is also the owner of a proud batting record, having never been dismissed for a duck in Test cricket.

That sequence now spans 49 innings, but he clearly intends to be remembered for more than dogged defence. Either that or he wants rid of the night-watchman's role which has come his way following Matthew Hoggard's exit from the side.

The Lancastrian had been sent in yesterday evening to protect Broad. This morning, though, it was the better batsman who fell first. Broad moved to 19 with the help of two more boundaries off Siddle - one edged to third man, the other driven crisply back past the bowler - but then lost his leg stump.

Johnson had been looking to beat Broad behind his pads as the left hander moved across his crease and succeeded at the third time of asking with the help of a slight deflection.

That was a relief for the Aussies. But any thoughts they had of wrapping up the innings for around 360 were soon shattered as Swann and Anderson combined superbly against spin and pace alike.

Swann often opens the batting for Notts in one-day cricket and is a mighty handy man to have coming in at No9 or 10 for England at Test level.

Here, he began with a somewhat fortunate four between slips and gully after edging Johnson but a lofted cover drive against the same attacker served as a warning for what was to come.

The first thing that Swann saw when Hauritz re-entered the attack this morning was sharp turn, the off-spinner's opening delivery beating the lot - outside edge, off stump and keeper Brad Haddin - to zip away for four byes.

That would have excited England's now No1 slow bowler quite a lot, though he was probably even more pleased with the reverse sweep which brought another boundary.

What with that, a moving drive wide of long on and straighter drive which Siddle failed to spot in the deep until it was past him, 20 runs came from Hauritz's first over.

Not wanting to be outdone, Anderson swept the spinner - in conventional fashion - for four more, then tried a reverse sweep of his own. Nice attempt, Jimmy lad, but that one needs a bit more work in the nets!

Even so, England were rattling along and while Ponting's poker face gave little away, Australia's skipper must have been desperate for a breakthrough.

No Warne of McGrath to throw the ball to these days, though, so he had to keep faith with Hauritz and Ben Hilfenhaus.

When Swann drove Hilfenhaus hard and straight, 11 boundaries had been scored in 12 overs and a total of 450, or even more, seemed possible for the home side.

All good things must come to an end, however, and Anderson's dreams of a mighty personal score ended when he dragged his drive against Hauritz to mid-on.

Even then the Aussies were not quite through England with Panesar managing to keep a duck off the scorecard and Hauritz being denied Swann's wicket when a catch at deep mid-wicket was ruled out by the bowler's front foot no-ball.

A third success for Hauritz did follow a couple of balls later, however, with Panesar edging a routine catch to slip and, finally, Australia were able to turn their minds to batting.